Auriemma Likes These Competitive Matchups

STORRS – For as long as UConn has played games like Monday's contest against No. 1 South Carolina — its 20th 1 vs. 2 matchup — coach Geno Auriemma has felt conflicted.

Does the game mean everything because of its significance to the promotion of the game? Does it mean nothing in the regular season because no trophy is rewarded? Or does the truth lay somewhere in the middle?

It didn't change on Monday when the Huskies beat South Carolina 87-62.

"We've gotten better along the way," Auriemma said. "We've improved since November and I think we're better now than we were a month ago. How that translates, I don't know.

"There might be things about the game that come so easily we won't learn anything. There may be things that come so hard that we haven't had to face yet that we'll look back after the game and say, damn, we weren't ready for that.

"It is the kind of matchup that is impossible to orchestrate. When we decided we wanted to play them again, the idea wasn't to schedule them because when they come here in February it will be No. 1 vs. No. 2. That it evolved to that in a February game is just a bonus. It helps more than in November or December.

"People are afraid to play these games in February because what happens if we lose? They are afraid of the aftermath. I look forward to the aftermath. I am going to be a lot happier Tuesday morning than I was Monday night. … That's what coaching is, to help your players understand the significance of everything. That's how we treat it here."

Gabby Williams, who averaged 17.0 points and 13.5 rebounds and shot 62.5 percent from the field last week, is the American Athletic Conference freshman of the week for the third time. Williams began the week with a career-high 18 points and 14 rebounds in Tuesday's win over Cincinnati. She followed that with 16 points and 13 rebounds in Saturday's win at Memphis.

Williams is the first UConn freshman since Maya Moore to have double-doubles in consecutive games. She entered Monday's game shooting 62.4 percent from the field and averaging 6.6 rebounds despite averaging only 17.5 minutes. Her average of 15.1 rebounds per 40 minutes is the most of any freshman in UConn history.

Mosqueda-Lewis On Target

If she stays healthy Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis will have a great chance to approach the NCAA Division I record of 392 made three-pointers in women's basketball. The mark is current shared by Laurie Koehn of Kansas State (2002-05) and Heather Butler of UT Martin (2011-14). Mosqueda-Lewis now has (344) with six regular-season and as many as nine postseason games. She was averaging 2.73 threes in her first 126 games prior to Monday. If UConn plays in the AAC tournament and national championship game, and she stays on pace, she will be in the mid-380s.

Engeln Out At Boston College

Former UConn guard Lauren Engeln, originally a member of UConn's Class of 2010 with Bria Hartley and Stefanie Dolson, was dismissed from the Boston College women's basketball team in her graduate season prior to Sunday's game against No. 4 Notre Dame for a violation of team rules. Junior Nicole Boudreau and redshirt junior Kat Cooper were both suspended for only the game, also for a violation of team rules.

"We had to dole out a couple of suspensions this week for violations of team rules — some great kids, just tough lessons that need to be learned when you're young," head coach Erik Johnson said.

Johnson attributed Englen's departure to philosophical differences. "Lauren (Engeln) is no longer with the team," Johnson said. "But, again, a great young woman — just sometimes, the fit and philosophies don't mesh. It's the hard part about coaching and we miss her."

Engeln tweeted: "We all make mistakes, it's how we deal with those errors in judgment and take steps to rectify the situation that shows our true character."

Line Of The Day

During USA Basketball's press conference on Monday, Auriemma was asked what his first impression was of Dawn Staley: "She was the Mo'ne Davis of her day." … The athletic department held its annual scholar-athlete ceremony at the half honoring those with grade-point averages of 3.0 and above. … USA Basketball held a ceremony during which it awarded World Championship rings to the coaching staff, Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart. … Dating to Jan. 25, Saniya Chong is now 19-for-28 from the field, 11-for-14 from three-point range.